


Until the Hellhounds Sleep Again

by fuckemupshizuo



Category: Hataraku Maou-Sama! | The Devil Is a Part-Timer!
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Cuddling & Snuggling, Declarations Of Love, Forbidden Love, Hand Jobs, M/M, Power Play, Punishment, Touching, sleep cuddling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-02-22 06:36:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2498195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckemupshizuo/pseuds/fuckemupshizuo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Satan finds himself overcome with human emotions.  He finds himself full of feelings which, prior to this, he had only read about: affection, adoration, even lust.  This is all new and confusing enough, but what’s really earthshattering is who he feels it all for: not Chiho, as she would have wished; not Emilia, contrary to apparently very popular belief; no, he just had to go and start feeling some kind of way about his roommate, General Alciel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Equinox of the Gods

**Author's Note:**

> *Thank you, Aisha, for putting up with my sending you random snippets from this and asking for phrasing advice at 3 AM*  
> *Most of my chapter titles (and also the title of this fic) will be songs, usually by Tiamat but not always. Tiamat is a great band, btw.*  
> *None of these characters are mine, obvs.*  
> *Tags will be added as they are thought of / needed*

Satan couldn’t remember how he got to where he was, standing in front of a café he’d never been to.   He knew he was in Japan, in the city, but everything seemed off.  He was on edge; every hair on his arms stood on end as he looked around, frantically trying to remember what he had just been doing.  How had he gotten to this place?  Where _was_ he?  

As he looked around, the Devil King noticed that Chiho was next to him, gazing up at him with that radiant, glaringly-obvious stare of adoration.  Her peach hair shone in the midday sun, while her eyes shone with tears…but why? 

“What the hell is going on?” whispered Satan, clenching his fists.

Everything felt off. 

His anxiety mounted as the sky suddenly filled with dark clouds.  They were rolling in too quickly, like two hours had passed within two minutes.  The sun was entirely obscured; it was as if night had suddenly snuck up on the city. 

“RUN!” he yelled, but his body remained frozen where it was.

It was as if his shoes were encased in concrete.

He couldn’t move.  He couldn’t even breathe.  He couldn’t even move his hand up to clench his chest, although he felt a strong urge to do so.   He was pretty sure he would suffocate before he could even figure out what the hell was going on…

\--

Gasping sharply, Satan opened his eyes.  In the dim light of the single room of his new palace, he noted that everything was precisely as it should have been.  The green, glowing numbers of the clock on the nightstand read 3:32; based on the lack of sunlight, he was able to infer that it must have been AM.   Satan’s pillow was covered in sweat; he could feel its moisture as he moved his head, observing the room.   Every movement he made was careful, calculated; the sense of panic he’d felt in the dream seemed to have followed him into his waking life, and he was afraid that any sudden movement on his part would summon –

_What?  What am I so afraid of?  What do I have to be afraid of, anyway?_

Although he could breathe, there was still a very real weight on his chest.  At first, he thought it must have been a human panic response – _one which would certainly take some getting used to –_ but, looking down, Satan realized that the weight was another human being.

Satan inhaled sharply. 

 _Who could that be?  Shit, did Emilia spend the night again?  Is_ that _why I feel so uneasy?!_

But, no.  That hair was too light to be Emilia’s, or even to be Chiho’s.   No, the hair that Satan found himself running his hands through – an unconscious decision, but a soothing one nonetheless – must have belonged to none other than Satan’s roommate, the esteemed General Alciel.

_But…how…_

Satan thought back to the events of the previous night.  He knew that when he came home from work, Alciel had been cleaning.  And, yeah, the General looked fantastic with his hair under that bandanna, but Satan knew full well that he wasn’t allowed to entertain such thoughts.  Even though he had been, ever since they became humans…

And yet, he knew full well that the worst hadn’t happened.  He knew that he and his roommate hadn’t gone to bed like this.  Thinking back, he remembered that they had dinner, talked about Satan’s work schedule, and then…well, then, they went to bed.  Separately.  At different times, even; Satan had gone to bed early, knowing that he had to be at work at 10 the next morning, while Alciel had decided to stay up and research human magic.  But still, Satan faintly remembered hearing Alciel lie down on his own mat an hour later.  His mat, which was all the way across the room from Satan’s…

And yet, there he was.  Alciel’s head was rested on Satan’s chest, rising and falling with the devil’s every shallow breath.  His chest was aligned with Satan’s stomach, his legs off to the side.  He looked so peaceful lying there, eyes closed, sighing periodically as if he were having a sad dream.  His hair smelled faintly of honey, despite the fact that they had both used the same ¥100 shampoo of the “Ocean Fresh” variety.  Satan caught himself inhaling deeply, trying to memorize Alciel’s scent, as if a memory would ever suffice.  He found himself wrapping his arms around the sleeping General, attempting to hold him even closer and take in all of his warmth, which formed a stark contrast against Satan’s own natural coldness.  He was always cold; customers would often recoil when he handed them change, shocked by the temperature of his fingers.  He tried not to notice it; at most other times, he was able to pretend that he was a regular human being, but having a job that involved touching so many hands had brought him to fear that the temperature of his skin was a telltale sign that he was _different_. 

Alciel didn’t seem to mind the cold, though; as Satan’s hands pressed into his human flesh, the General smiled and rubbed his head deeper into the devil’s chest.  A warmth filled the Devil King’s cheeks, taking him entirely by surprise.  He’d never felt a warmth such as this, one that emanated from within.  He supposed that what he was feeling was the human emotion of _affection_ , or maybe it was _adoration_ or – either way, it was nothing demons were capable of.  The new sensation filled Satan’s entire body; it was much like the feeling he got while he was amassing power, except this new feeling was far stronger and, at the same time, far less palpable.  He couldn’t even be certain as to whether or not it was real.

And how _fleeting_ was this human emotion!  Within seconds, it had flickered away, leaving Satan as cold as he had been before.  Immediately, he began to crave it again, but that ephemeral flame was gone from his cheeks and he couldn’t seem to find a way to restore it.  Alciel was back to sighing, and Satan wondered for a moment whether he should awaken the General and put him out of his misery.  Whatever Alciel was dreaming about now, he obviously wasn’t very happy.  His brows were knitted, his mouth twitching periodically. 

Satan lifted his hand and began to stroke the General’s hair once more.  As he did this, the Demon Lord noted that Alciel’s expression began to soften the instant his hair was touched.  Indeed, after Satan had spent several minutes running his hands through that white, silky hair, the General had stopped whimpering altogether and his face took on that same expression of serenity it had had when Satan first held him close. 

_This is new._

Satan felt powerful, but in a different way than when he was the presiding Demon King of Ente Isla.  No, this power was on a more personal level.  In his human form, he was unable to control the masses.  He could no longer command entire armies of demons, nor could he destroy the lands of the angels…but apparently, he was very much able to calm a dreaming General.  This power was far more pleasant, although certainly less useful in the grand scheme of things.  Regardless, Satan intended to take full advantage of his newfound magic.

But 10 minutes into the hair-stroking marathon, Satan felt the General’s body shift.  Alciel raised his left hand up from Satan’s side to his own face, rubbing his eyes as he yawned deeply.  As Alciel’s eyes began to open, Satan’s panic set in.

_Oh fuck, oh fuck, what do I do?  When he wakes up and finds that, not only are we cuddling, but we’re both fully awake –_

_He doesn’t have to know that._

Satan closed his eyes and, with great effort, forced himself to stop the rhythmic pattern his hands had been making.  He let that arm rest on his own chest, right above Alciel’s head.  His left arm remained draped over Alciel’s back, however; it was too late to move it. 

Satan felt Alciel sit up, and he let fall the arm that had been around his roomate, although he wasn’t sure if it was obvious that he wanted to keep holding on, to pull him back down and stop him from leaving.  He heard an astonished gasp emerge from the General, who then proceeded to mutter frantic apologies under his breath.

“Alciel, it’s okay,” Satan felt himself whisper, immediately regretting his utterance. 

 _Fuck!_ he thought to himself as he opened his eyes once more.  _Now what?!_

“I- I’m so sorry, M-maou-sama!” Alciel was shouting, his voice cracking.  “H-how insolent of me to – I don’t remember what happened or how I ended up – please forgive me!”

For a moment, Satan panicked as he realized that he had never been in this situation before and had no idea how to react.  He knew what he _wanted_ to do: he wanted, more than anything, to bring Alciel back to him, to hold him even closer than before and to tell him about how desperately he had wanted this, ever since…well, ever since that day they stumbled out of the portal and into Tokyo.  But he also knew what he _should_ do: he should be terse, commanding, unfeeling.  He should reject Alciel, admonishing him to never let it happen again.  Because _what if all of the demons back at Ente Isla found out about this?  You’ve gone soft, Satan.  Falling for one of your best Generals?  You’ll certainly be accused of favoritism, if not worse…_

“Alciel,” Satan started again, propping himself up on his left shoulder.  The vision of Alciel standing up, dressed only in his white boxers, shoulders hunched over in shame, made Satan’s heart hurt.  He couldn’t take it; he knew he wouldn’t be able to be harsh if he tried at that point.  Breathlessly, he mumbled: “Just…let’s just forget about all of this.”

“I’m so sorry!” Alciel said, turning back to face Satan.  “I promise it won’t happen again!”

 _I hope he doesn’t mean that,_ Satan thought to himself, but what came out of his mouth was:

“Good.  Go back to bed, Alciel.  _Your own_ bed.”

“I will…I’m so sorry.  You can punish me if you have to.”

With a deep sigh he hoped the General didn’t notice, Satan rolled over onto his side.  He immediately missed Alciel’s warmth; indeed, he was shivering, despite being covered in a blanket in the middle of summer.  He closed his eyes and tried to erase the events of the last hour from his mind. 

 _I blew it.  That was my last chance.  Now Alciel thinks I hate him and everything is going to be awkward,_ Satan thought, his heart pounding in his chest.  He wanted so badly to punch the floor and yell curses, but instead, he let himself shed a momentary stream of tears.  He was still trying to figure out human emotions; no research could have prepared him for the mixture of feelings he was dealing with that night.  He felt rejected, hurt, conflicted, angry, disappointed…everything. 

 _I feel_ everything.  _Everything, all at once…_

 


	2. Carry Your Cross and I'll Carry Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satan isn't sure how to deal with...certain human reactions to certain stimuli.

_Being a human and having human emotions is awful,_ Satan thought, clenching his fists.  He started to ruminate about ways to gather magic and return to Ente Isla, to regain his throne and his demonhood and to never have to think about any of these strange and confusing feelings again.  The second he got back to Ente Isla, his first order of business would be to send Alciel away on a mission, as far away as possible.  After a month or so, all of this would subside and everything would go back to normal.

But at the same time, Alciel’s voice kept repeating itself over and over in his head:

“I’m sorry.  You can punish me if you have to.”

“Punish me.”

“Punish…me…”

A new emotion overcame Satan’s entire being.  In fact, the more that phrase repeated itself in his mind, the more he imagined the motions of Alciel’s lips forming those words…

_This must be ‘arousal’._

_But why?  Why would I feel this way for someone who isn’t even naked?!  I thought humans only felt like this in sexual contexts…_

It was undeniable, however.  Satan’s entire body was rigid, tense, hardened.  Every one of his senses was heightened.  But the most undeniable sensation was the one that lay just under his boxers.  Yes, his body was reacting in a way that he had never experienced before, in a way that he had only read about yesterday while researching emotions, as he had been doing during the rare down-time he got at work:

Satan was completely and entirely aroused, and, not only that, but he was _hard._

_What a strange turn of events,_ he thought to himself, suddenly terrified that Alciel would notice.  But no, the General was turned away from Satan, facing the wall and shaking his shoulders in a way that would indicate that he may have been sobbing.

_What I want more than anything is to go over there and…and to have him touch me.  Yes.  That’s all I want right now.  I want him to be the one to get rid of this awful, all-encompassing feeling…but that would be embarrassing.  That would be thoroughly and profoundly embarrassing, not to mention highly inappropriate, and – I need to get rid of this_ SOMEHOW _, but_ HOW?

Satan was concentrating so hard on trying to think about _anything else_ that he feared he would accidentally end up using up what little power he had.  With a great effort, he was able to stop imagining himself punishing Alciel, which he would certainly have done by beating the General with his bare hands, or perhaps by whipping him – either way, Satan pushed the thought of punishment out of his mind entirely.  He was very proud of this achievement until a new thought seeped into his mind:

Alciel’s naked body.

He had already seen it several times before – accidentally, of course, but _come on.  They lived together.  It was bound to happen._ And even though he had looked away, had tried to act like he had no desire to ever look back…during those rare moments, he had memorized the curves of his roommate’s muscles, the ripples of his abs, the way his legs dipped in at the knees only to violently curve around again at the calves.  Those knees were his favorite part.  Alciel’s bones had also attracted Satan’s attention; he had a clear vision of his roommate’s collarbones and the way their shape played against his very visible ribcage…

“BUT NO!” Satan found himself shrieking, burying his face in his pillow in an attempt to muffle his sudden outburst.  “PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP!”

“M-maou-sama?” Alciel’s voice echoed from across the room.  “Something wrong?”

Satan sat up on his elbows, raising his head just enough so that his voice would be heard clearly.  His hair was still brushing against the pillow, blocking out any light that may have trickled in from the street below. 

“I HATE BEING HUMAN, ALCIEL!  I WANT THIS GONE!” he cried out, his frustration causing his voice to crack.

“You want _what_ gone, my Lord?”

“AROUSAL!” yelped Satan, realizing immediately thereafter that he absolutely should not have said that.  “JUST…please, stop talking.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Alciel’s voice drifted toward Satan.  The Demon Lord couldn’t help but notice a tinge of disappointment in the General’s diction.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to come across so harshly.  It’s just that…”

“I know.  I’ve felt it, too.  It’ll go away, my Lord.  There is a way to make it go away, you know, but…I’ve already said too much!  This is improper talk!  I’m so sorry!”

“PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO MAKE IT GO AWAY!”

“Um…I can’t really…say it aloud…”

“You’re the General of a Demon Army.  Certainly nothing is too improper for you.  Spit it out.”

“It’s not…it’s just…oh, I can’t do this!  With all due respect, Maou-sama, can’t you figure this out on your own?!”

The desperation in Alciel’s voice was enough to indicate that Satan was not to press his roommate further, lest he die of – _whatever_ it was that he was feeling.  Embarrassment?  Shame?  Human emotions were so complicated, vast, and deep that Satan wasn’t sure he’d ever understand them.

Certainly, demons were capable of emotion.  It’s just that, before taking on a human form, Satan’s emotions had ranged from “vengeful” to “angry” to “betrayed”.  Most of them were quite negative and also strangely impersonal.  Satan had felt many strong emotions toward a certain group of people or toward a certain historical event, but this?  Feeling so strongly for another being?  This was different.  Certainly he had felt _something_ for Alciel since the beginning of time, but it had always manifested itself in “adoration for Alciel’s skill in battle”, more than “astonishment at the curves of Alciel’s muscles”.  Whatever it was he had felt for the General back when they were demons, being human had magnified it hundredfold.  It was more than Satan could take.

“I want this gone.  I _need_ this gone,” he mumbled to himself, clenching his fists.

After a few minutes of concentrating on his own breathing, on his nails digging into his palms, on his sheets against his skin, Satan realized that, at long last, he was returning to normal.  His body had softened again, his senses dulled down to the point where he realized he was finally going to be able to get sleep again.  He closed his eyes and let himself drift into a shallow slumber, relieved that his attack of arousal, traumatic as it was, had been short-lived.


	3. Prudence's Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having no-one else to turn to, Satan finds himself turning to Chiho for advice about the recent, drastic change in his relationship with his roommate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Yeah, that's a Dimmu Borgir song name...gotta switch things up.)

That next morning, Satan didn’t say a word as he woke up, dressed, brushed his teeth, and ran out of the palace without eating breakfast.  Luckily for him, Alciel had still been asleep when he left.  Any other day, Satan would have lectured his roommate for sleeping in, but today, he was grateful.  He couldn’t have dealt with the awkward conversation that certainly would have ensued.

  However, all day, he couldn’t stop thinking about the previous evening.  He couldn’t help but wonder if he had actually dreamt the whole thing; after all, there was _no way_ Alciel had _actually_ taken it upon himself to cuddle with Satan in the middle of the night.  Why the hell would he?  Who would _ever_ want to cuddle with a Demon Lord? 

And yet, as Satan’s shift progressed, it slowly dawned on him that he _wanted_ it to be real.  Despite the awkwardness, despite the abrupt ending, Satan wanted more than anything to believe that the previous night’s events actually happened.  All day, as he suggestively sold black pepper fries and convinced multiple people to upgrade to combos, as he exchanged currency and smiled and greeted people – _all day,_ Satan couldn’t stop thinking about Alciel.  Even Chiho, with her eternal optimism and glimmering eyes, couldn’t distract Satan from his main target, his true romantic interest.

_The real object of his apparently insatiable lust._

And, as he clocked out for the night, he realized that he desperately needed to talk to someone about his feelings.  Not Emilia – no, whoever he would share these secrets with, would have to be someone who had absolutely no ties to Ente Isla.  Of course, the only people he could think of to talk to were his manager (who would probably have no time to hear about her employee’s romantic dilemma); the landlord, Miki (who would undoubtedly try to seduce him instead – Satan shuddered just thinking about it), or –

_Certainly Chiho is the last person who wants to hear about this._

_No, don’t you_ dare _mention this to her!  It’ll break her heart!_

And yet, when she invited him to the café after work, Satan agreed.  And when they sat down and started to make small talk about work, Satan realized that his absentmindedness was obvious.  He knew she could sense that his mind was wandering, although she was far too polite to ask what he was really thinking about.  But soon, during the awkward silence that followed Chiho talking about her favorite kind of cake, Satan cleared his throat.

“Chi,” he mumbled, “I, uh…I’m sorry if I’ve been distant today.”

“It’s okay, Mr. Maou!” she chirped, blushing furiously.  “You’re under no obligation to talk to me!  I respect your wishes!”

“Calm down, alright?  It’s not you.  It’s all in my head.  I actually have a lot in my head right now…you don’t want to hear about it, though.”  Satan’s hands began to shake.  He knew what he had set in motion.  It was too late to stop.

“P-please tell me!”

“It’s just that…well, you know my roommate, Alciel?”

_DON’T!  SATAN, DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE TALK TO HER ABOUT THIS!_

“Y-yeah, I’ve met him...or maybe I’ve only heard about him…”

“Well, I think I’m in love with him.”

_WHERE DID THAT EVEN COME FROM?!  THAT’S NOT EVEN TRUE!_

With eyes lowered, Chiho began to shake.  It started in her narrow shoulders, moving down to her arms, then her hands.  Soon, her entire body was trembling with – _with what?  What does she feel right now?  Rage?  Sadness?_ Everything?

“M-maou, I’m so sorry…I didn’t know you were gay!  I should never have – um, nevermind.  I’m, uh, I’m very happy for you and I wish you all the best!”

“I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean to upset you!  I upset you, right?”

“N-no, I’ll be fine.”

Chiho was looking down the entire time, face red, eyes full to the brim with tears.  Satan’s heart sank as he silently chastised himself for having let it get to this point.  After all, he _knew_ this would happen.  He _knew_ how she felt…

“You don’t look fine.”

“I’M GOING TO TELL HIM!” Chiho shouted, her knees knocking against the table as she stood up, still looking down at her hands.  Her blind rage was so strong that she didn’t even notice her injury.  “I’M GOING TO…TO WRITE HIM AN ANONYMOUS LETTER AND SEND IT TO HIM!  THAT – THAT WAY, YOU WON’T HAVE TO!  HE HAS TO KNOW!”

“Wh-why would you do that?  No, please, don’t!”

Chiho’s eyes, bigger and shinier than they had ever been before, locked with Satan’s.

“You told this information to the wrong person,” she said, her voice emerging in a low growl.   Satan didn’t even know her normally high-pitched voice was capable of reaching such depths; it was terrifying.

Quickly, Chiho turned around and stomped out of the building, slamming the door behind her.  As the bell jingled, Satan looked around the room.  Everyone was staring at him, their gazes judgmental.

“You don’t even know what happened,” he mumbled as he marched out of the café and down the street.  “What the hell am I going to do now?!”

Satan’s dominant emotion was confusion as he began to walk back toward his palace/apartment.  He was having a hard time determining Chiho’s motives.  He knew that she was in love with him, or at least infatuated; every action, every look, revealed this truth.  He had actually been expecting her to strangle him, but it seemed the teen had other plans.  But why was she so determined to make sure that Alciel found out about Satan’s feelings for him?  After all, shouldn’t she be doing the opposite?  It was highly unlikely that she was resigned to her fate, that she had accepted his lack of interest so easily.  There was _no way_ she was going to let this slide. 

At the same time, a panic had overtaken Satan as he realized that he had two options, between which he would have to decide before the mail came the next day.  He would have to either:

  1.        Confess his attraction to Alciel, thus jeopardizing their friendship, allowing the possibility that an abundance of rumors would be spread throughout Ente Isla, and possibly even being rejected; or
  2.        Completely deny everything, in which case he would never even have a chance with Alciel in the first place.  This would also make things incredibly awkward in the household, and possibly cause Alciel to think of Satan as an untrustworthy person…



 

And, of course, throughout all this, Satan had to wonder whether Chiho was trying to do him a favor (in which case, her attempts were extraordinarily misguided but brave nonetheless) or whether she was aware of the precarious position she was putting him in, and was planning on doing something malicious.  And then there remained the possibility that she made the threat idly, just to see what he would do.  Just to mess with him, to make him panic…

“It was an act of revenge!” he murmured to himself as he walked up the steps, being careful not to fall down as he had done so many times before.  “She just wants to make me uncomfortable.  She just wants me to be as miserable as she is!”


	4. Brighter Than The Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satan knows he'll have to face Alciel at some point. He knows that they owe each other an explanation, especially now that Chiho has added pressure by threatening to blackmail Satan...but is he ready to finally confess his feelings, or will he just sit and wait for *that letter* to come?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Wow, someone gave me kudos already? Thank you so infinitely much!)

When Satan swung the door open, he was relieved to find Alciel fully-clothed, cooking a pot of noodles.  It was nearing 5 o’clock; usually, dinner wasn’t ready until after dark, but an early meal would make for a pleasant change.  However, Alciel being awake also meant that Satan would have to deal with his presence, and that he would potentially have to confess his love – _stop calling it that!  You don’t even know what love is!  That’s a human thing, not a demon thing; you don’t even know_ what _you feel! –_ right then and there.  His heart began to beat hard in his chest, such a strange human reaction.

“I’m home!” said Satan, his voice coming out in a tired drawl.

Alciel whirled around.  “Welcome home, my Lord!”

“Ugh, what a long day.  Thank you for making dinner, as always.  How did the research go today?  Any new information on sources of magic?” 

Satan was trying his hardest to concentrate on anything other than his previous conversation with Chiho.  He would have talked about the Laundromat for 10 hours if only to avoid the subject of “whatever it was that happened last night”.  And yet, while Alciel prattled on and on about haunted houses in Romania, all Satan could think about was the looming threat of Chiho’s letter.  He had the fleeting idea that he could call out from work the next day to stay at home and wait for the mail, thus avoiding the otherwise-inevitable reality that Alciel would find the letter.  However, that would involve having to play sick, which was never Satan’s strong point; besides, taking a day off so early would be seen as a sign of weakness, which would be detrimental to Satan’s desire to move up in the company.

“Are you alright, sire?” Alciel’s warm voice cut through Satan’s thoughts.

The Demon Lord looked up and saw that a bowl of udon noodles with green onions had been set in front of him, along with a cup of steaming-hot tea.

“I’m f-fine.  Thank you.”

“You don’t seem fine.  Are you ill?  Or is this about…nevermind.”

“Is this about what?”

Alciel almost choked on his soup.  The General’s cheeks were as red as Satan’s eyes, those same eyes that he was apparently refusing to look into.

“Oh.”

“Forgive me, Maou.  I almost overstepped my boundaries…”

“Can we please not talk about this yet?  I’m not ready.”

“Fair enough, sire.”

They finished their dinner in silence.  Satan felt bad for silencing Alciel, but it was true: he wasn’t ready to discuss the previous evening.  He wasn’t ready to talk about the cuddling, and he sure as hell wasn’t prepared to discuss that awful feeling he worked so hard to stifle before he had drifted back to sleep.  The silence was uncomfortable, but it was still a welcome alternative to discussing the truth.  Although he knew Alciel would find out about his feelings one way or the other, evading the discussion seemed to be the only option that would leave Satan with even a shred of remaining sanity.

After dinner, as the Demon Lord brushed his teeth so hard that his gums bled, he ruminated on what he was going to say when he left the bathroom.  Certainly he wasn’t about to come out with the entire truth, but couldn’t he at least say goodnight, maybe make a joke like “Stay on your side of the room tonight?”  But such a gesture seemed insincere, since a repeat of the previous evening was exactly what Satan wanted, deep down.  He had been thinking about it all day, actually.  He missed the honeyed smell of his roommate’s hair, and the easy way his fingers were able to work their way through its silken length.   But more than anything, he missed Alciel’s warmth.

“Goodnight,” he said as he walked out of the bathroom. 

Alciel was washing the dishes, humming to himself.  Upon seeing the way the shadows played upon his roommate’s face in the dim light of the apartment, Satan felt a pang of longing in his chest, stronger than ever before.  He suddenly felt as though he had no control over his body; he found himself walking into the kitchen, stopping right behind Alciel. 

_This is going to be just like what happened at the café.  I need to work on my self-control!  But, just like that fateful moment at the café, I know that something has already been put in motion!  I can’t back out now!_

“Ah, goodnight, my Lord,” Alciel mumbled, not even turning around to look at him.

“Alciel…” started Satan.

His roommate turned around, although it was obvious that he felt uncomfortable.  Perhaps the tables had turned and now it was Alciel who was afraid to face Satan.

“Y-yes, King Satan?”

“I just…I don’t want things to be awkward between us, okay?  What happened, happened, and now…well, I’m not sure…”

“Were you stroking my hair?”  The second he blurted out that fateful sentence, Alciel proceeded to blush furiously.  “I – I’m sorry.  That was insolent of me…”

“Please stop apologizing.  I know I’m technically your overlord, but on Earth, we’re roommates.  We’re equals now.  We can talk to each other like equals.  And yes…yes, I was.”

Internally, Satan was furious with himself for adding in that last statement.  He should have changed the subject, a skill which he’d always prized himself on.  But, at the same time, he had unconsciously resigned himself to his fate whilst brushing his teeth: if it was going to happen eventually, it might as well happen right then and there, in that kitchen.

“M-maou-sama…”

Satan lifted a hand to brush Alciel’s cheek.  “Let me know if you want me to stop, but I kind of like showing you affection.  In fact, I love it.  I – I’m in trouble, Alciel.”

“Trouble?  Is Emilia involved, or is this between you and the police?”  Alciel’s brow was furrowed, and there was worry in his eyes as he observed Satan’s hand resting on his face.

“My trouble is you, Alciel,” whispered Satan, leaning forward and looking the General right in his eyes.  Those eyes, gold as the sunset, were full of warmth as Alciel rested his head against Satan’s hand.

In a swift movement, Alciel wrapped his arm around Satan’s waist and pulled him close.  Their lips met in a soft collision.  Alciel’s lips were warm, just like the rest of him.  Based on the way Alciel flinched in the beginning of the kiss, Satan deduced that his own lips must have been freezing.

 “It’s okay to call me Sadao,” whispered Satan. “In fact, I’d prefer it from you.”

“It’s just…after all these years, it sounds strange.  I feel like such a title would debase your glory, my Lord, and I have no desire to disrespect you after all you’ve done for me.”

“Please, just…please.”

Alciel sighed.  “I’ll try, my l – er, Sadao.  I’ll try my hardest.  If you don’t mind my asking, well…how long have you felt this way toward me?”

“Since we became humans,” said Satan, his voice coming out soft, barely-audible.  “I never knew how to tell you, as I certainly didn’t think you’d reciprocate.  Even as demons, I’ve always felt a fondness for you, although I’ve always attributed it to –“

“I feel the same,” whispered Alciel, “It’s been the same for me.  I always looked up to you, you know, as a ruler.  But this is different.  Since we’ve been humans, I’ve…I’ve been completely enamored with you.”

Satan pulled his finest general in for another kiss, this time noting that, despite the fact that they had just eaten a savory soup for dinner, his roommate’s tongue tasted of the sweetest vanilla.  Everything about Alciel was sweet, apparently: his scent, his taste, and even his demeanor.  Satan knew there was no turning back; as he melted into Alciel’s arms, he knew he would be craving that sweetness for the rest of eternity.  He kept going back for more, more, until Alciel finally pulled away.

“S-sadao…I feel dirty.  I need to brush my teeth – and please don’t think that has anything to do with you!  Your kisses have been nothing but cleansing; it’s just that I fear I’m dirtying you with my tongue.  You deserve better than to be kissed by someone who hasn’t even brushed his teeth.  I’m so sorry.  I’ll be right back, though.”

“I don’t think anything about you is dirty!” cried out Satan, but it was too late.  Alciel had already scampered off to the bathroom.

“I should be used to this by now,” mumbled Satan as he heard the faucet running. 


	5. Thirst Snake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After some persuading, Alciel seems to be warming up to the idea of being equals with Satan. In fact they're warming up to each other very quickly. Soon, the power begins to shift in interesting ways...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could hella imagine Alciel serenading Satan with "Thirst Snake" as they drift off to sleep, haha. Such a good lullaby/serenade song.~

Sighing, Satan finished washing the last of the dishes and retreated to his mat.  He knew that it would take a great deal of persuading to convince Alciel to be anything less than perfectly formal with him, but he also knew that it had to be done. He was tired of having to maintain that kind of a relationship with his roommate; he had thought of Alciel as his equal ever since they became human, and it was high time that Alciel stopped putting him on a pedestal.  After all, they were in the same boat.  They were living in the same shitty apartment (which was all it was, no matter how hard they tried to convince themselves and others that they had found themselves a 'palace' on Earth), eating the same food, living on minimum wage together.  Honestly, Satan had grown quite fond of feeling like a commoner.  One of the reasons he was reluctant to return to Ente Isla was that, on Earth, he had a chance to be a normal person. Although he was fully aware of the fact that his position of Demon Lord was a coveted one, Satan was loath to hear the phrase “My Lord” ever again.  He was fully prepared to give up his title and his power forever, if it meant that he could continue to live so simply and with so little pressure.  Of course there was pressure at MgRonald's, but moving lines and upselling was nothing compared to the struggles he used to face as the leader of multiple armies.  He knew that, even if he were to enter a leadership position at work, it would be _nothing_ like the kind of power he had in Ente Isla, and that was somehow comforting.  Besides, his experience as a human had taught him so much already; to turn back now would be a grave disappointment.  

When at long last Alciel emerged from the bathroom, Satan was mildly surprised to find that his roommate was wearing far less clothing than he had been before he brushed his teeth.  At some point, Alciel had stripped down to just his boxers and socks, allowing Satan to once again swoon over the curves of his roommate’s muscles, which were illuminated by both the light from the kitchen and the light from the bathroom simultaneously.  And, as always, he was especially in awe of Alciel’s knees, those strong knees that fit so perfectly between his rock-hard thighs and calves.   Alciel turned off the bathroom light, then the kitchen one, but there was still just enough light outside to illuminate his hair as he crept across the room and landed on the floor next to Satan’s bed.

“You can come up here again, you know,” mumbled Satan, reaching out for Alciel’s arm.

“I hope you know what an honor it is to be adored by you,” said Alciel.  “I’m still rather in shock, my Lord.  I’m still surprised you even brought me with you to Earth.  Me, of all people…I don’t know how I earned this honor, but –“

“Please, please, stop doing that,"  grumbled Satan, massaging his forehead with his temples.  "I don’t want to be your Lord anymore, Alciel.  I want to be your friend, and – and your lover!”

“Sadao…you must understand, I’ve never been in this position before.”

“Neither have I, believe me.  But I’m glad we’re here.”

“As am I.”

With that, Alciel raised himself, only to lower himself down onto Satan’s chest.

“And, please…if I’m going to call you Sadao, I’d love for you to call me Ashiya.  It’s only right, I mean, if we’re going to be using our human names at home from now on.”

“You’re absolutely right, Ashiya.  I’ll try my hardest.”

“Thank you.”

Alciel raised himself so that his face was aligned with Satan’s.  His hair tickled the border of Satan’s face as they looked each other dead in the eyes.

In a swift motion, Satan grabbed Alciel’s head with his right hand and pulled his roommate in for another series of kisses.  The entire time it was happening, he reflected on how easy the entire situation had been, despite his apprehensions.  Now Chiho’s letter would mean nothing.  Maybe someday he would even get to tell Alciel about that ridiculous situation and maybe they could even have a good laugh about it.  But the kisses Satan was receiving from the General were no laughing matter.  As Alciel’s tongue found its way into Satan’s mouth, the taste of vanilla was overwhelming.  Satan’s body began to change again, as if Alciel’s warmth had awakened all of his senses at once.   He found himself biting gently at Alciel’s lips; each time his teeth pressed down, Alciel groaned.

“Alciel…it’s happening again,” muttered Satan.

Alciel pulled away to ask, “What is?”

“That… _thing_ that happened last night.  It’s back.”

“Oh,” said Alciel with a gentle laugh. 

“I – I demand that you do something about it.”

Alciel’s pupils were wide enough that the irises of his eyes were no longer visible.   Sweat glistened on his forehead as he inhaled deeply.

“A-are you sure?”

“Whatever it takes.  Please.”

“I know…I know what will help, but I never dreamed...well, actually, I dream about this all the time, but I never dreamed I’d be able to actually – shut up, Alciel,” the blonde reprimanded himself before a look of determination spread across his face.

Alciel’s lips traced Satan’s jawline as his left hand wandered down the Demon Lord’s chest, down to his stomach.  The entire time, Satan’s body was becoming more and more tense.  With every new touch, he twitched.  When Alciel reached up under his t-shirt and caressed his stomach, it was almost more than Satan could take.  His body was no longer under his control, and every new flinch was more violent than the last.  He was gasping for air, moaning as Alciel’s lips made their way down to his neck.  Satan knew that what he had been craving the previous evening was about to finally come to him.  He couldn’t mask his enjoyment as Alciel’s hand finally reached his cock and began to stroke it through his underwear, firmly and decisively.

_The sensations of this human body are so strange,_ Satan found himself thinking as his roommate finally reached underneath his underwear and touched him with that warm, soft hand of his.  _I’ve never known such ecstasy, yet somehow I know this is only the beginning…_

Sharp, desperate sounds emanated from Satan’s throat as Alciel stroked ever faster.

“Ah – ah, this is precisely – ah! – what I – unh – wanted,” groaned Satan, twisting violently.  For some reason, he brought his own right hand up to his mouth and bit down hard on his knuckles, then proceeded to moan at the euphoric combination of pleasure and pain.  “Please, Ashiya…don’t stop…if you stop, I’ll s-send you back…ah!”

“I wouldn’t stop for the world,” said Alciel, bending forward to kiss Satan once more.

Satan found himself grunting into Alciel’s mouth as he tried to kiss him back.  It was difficult to kiss and moan at the same time, however, and he found that his biological need to make noise was strongly counteracting his desire to press his lips against the General’s.

“Ah – aah, Alciel!”

“No, please…call me Ashiya.”

“A-ashiya – aahh, sorry, don’t stop!”

As Alciel stroked faster and faster, Satan’s body began to tense up in the strangest way.  It started with his feet, whose toes curled violently as a shockwave crept up his legs at the same time as a sudden paralysis struck his torso.  His hips jerked violently as he started to bite his fist again, growling deeply and loudly enough to summon an entire army of demons.  And then, a release.  Satan’s body softened as warmth flooded him – for once, he was warm from within, although Alciel’s skin on his own certainly must have helped.

“Ahh…I’ve never known such ecstasy.  Thank you for…whatever you just did,” said Satan, grinning as Alciel hovered over him, eyes half-closed.

“Humans call that a ‘handjob’, I believe,” said Alciel, laughing.  “What a strange word, really.”

“Well, I guess I owe you one of these…’handjobs’, then, don’t I?” asked the Demon Lord as Alciel shifted to lie down next to him.

“S-sire, you don’t _owe_ me anything; I gave you a hand job because – because you deserve one for all that you do, s-supporting us!”

Alciel was so adorable when he was flustered.  Satan considered telling him so, but he had already laid on the affection quite heavily that evening and it was probably already more than the General could take.  After all, he was used to being ordered around and ordering others around.  In his previous life as a demon, there had been no room for adoration.  Satan knew this because he was experiencing a similar dilemma.  Although he apparently had the capacity to adore another person, he wasn’t entirely certain if he could handle being adored as of yet.  That’s why he was always so uncomfortable around Chiho; then again, he also didn't find her attractive, even though most other men seemed to.  Regardless, Satan was accustomed to being feared, respected, and even hated.  But love?  He wasn’t sure if he would _ever_ be fully accustomed to being on the receiving end of that particular emotion.

Satan climbed on top of Alciel, taking a moment to appreciate the fact that the tables had turned.  He had never been in this position before; not just with Alciel, but with anyone.  He had never imagined that his hair would be long enough to drape across someone’s forehead, but it was, and Alciel was very clearly trying not to giggle.

“Alciel, I command you to let me do whatever I want with you,” said Satan as a grin spread across his face.  _Where the hell did that come from?  I’m used to being in power, but not in this context…_   “And don’t you dare think that I’ll give you anything you don’t deserve.”

“Y-yes, my Lord,” whimpered Alciel, clearly uncomfortable, although a sparkle of intrigue shone in his golden eyes.

Although Satan had previously stated that he didn't want to be called 'my Lord' anymore, it seemed appropriate in this context.  Yes, even though he had no power on Earth, and even though he was fully willing and in fact prepared to relinquish his power as the King of the Demons...something about being the temporary ruler of Alciel's body just felt so _right_. 

Satan proceeded to grab his lover’s hands and pull them up over his head. As he held them there with his right hand, his left hand traced Alciel’s face, his fingers caressing the General’s pointed nose, down to his soft lips.  At first, Alciel had flinched from the cold, but he seemed to be enjoying the temperature shock, smiling as Satan pressed his fingers into Alciel’s lips, then bypassed them, letting the General suck on his fingers.  The feeling of Alciel’s tongue against Satan’s fingers was almost enough to make the Demon Lord hard again, but he had decided a few minutes ago that this would be entirely about Alciel.  After taking so much shit from the Demon Lord over the years, this gratitude was far overdue and probably far less than the General deserved, but it was a start.

As Satan’s fingers dipped down to Alciel’s delicate, pointed chin and trailed across his Adam’s apple, the General closed his eyes, barely able to contain himself.  Satan felt Alciel gulp beneath his fingertips, which delighted him.  As always, the General was trying to be stoic; however, as always, he would eventually crack.  And once he did, it would be _so_ rewarding.

As Satan’s hands wandered down to the General’s clavicle, so did his lips make their way to Alciel’s, which were parted, making way to heavy breaths.  As he kissed Alciel, Satan’s hands finally made their way all the way down to the General’s hip bones, where they lingered, brushing lightly against Alciel’s skin over and over again.  The first time had been an accident but, upon hearing Alciel’s desperate grunt reverberate in his mouth, Satan realized he’d found treasure.  After several back-and-forth swipes, Satan’s left hand found itself wanting to move more inward.  He it them take its intended course: left to its own devices, Satan’s left hand wandered toward the elastic band around the top of Alciel’s boxers.  Slowly and carefully, it reached down into them and grabbed Alciel’s cock, which, at this point, was the hardest it could possibly be.  Satan stopped kissing Alciel in order to better concentrate on what he was doing.

_I can’t believe I’m doing this_ , thought Satan as he wrapped his hand around the strange object and began to stroke it, trying to emulate the movements that Alciel had just enacted on him.  It was easy enough to get into the rhythm, despite the fact that he had never done it before, not to himself nor to anyone else.   Alciel’s mask of propriety immediately broke down and he began to pant; Satan wasn’t certain, but he could’ve sworn he saw tears spilling forth from Alciel’s closed eyes.

“Do you want me to stop?” asked Satan.

“N-no, please!  I’m sorry – I just never dreamed that this would happen.  It’s shocking…but, God, it’s shocking in a good way.  Your hands are so cold... Please – please, my Lord, don’t ever stop!”

Satan grinned then, stroking faster as Alciel had done to him.

“You said ‘God’,” said Satan, chuckling to himself.  “Are you even allowed to say that?”

“Y-you say ‘jeez’ all the time, which is close enough to – ah! – to ‘Jesus’…we’re both heretics.  It’s in our blood – ahh, Satan, like that!  Yes!”

“You called me ‘Satan’,” said Satan, “Didn’t I expressly tell you to call me ‘Sadao’ from now on?”

“Y-yes, you did!  I’m so sorry!  Please forgive me!”

“I might forgive you…but first, I have to punish you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That just happened. And it's only going to get more interesting from here on out...


	6. A Caress of Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tables have turned and now Satan feels compelled to grant Alciel the same pleasures he received in the previous chapter. They then proceed to get into some pretty deep conversations about sins, Ente Isla, and the nature of their relationship...

Alciel opened his eyes wide.  “P-punish me?  How?”

Satan noted that Alciel’s lips moved differently than they had that first fateful time he uttered that phrase, just 24 hours previously.  That time, he was stern, corners of his mouth downturned; there was more than a touch of disappointment in his voice.  This time, he was trembling, but with very obvious excitement that he was desperately trying to hide, and he was also blatantly trying not to smile.  While the room was equally as dark as it had been the previous night, Alciel was somehow more visible.  It was as if he was radiating a new energy.

“Roll over,” said Satan, taking his hand off of Alciel’s cock.  Alciel did as he was commanded. 

“What are you going to –“

In a flash, Satan raised his right hand and slammed it down onto Alciel’s round, muscular ass.   Alciel groaned in pleasure, contorting his back and burying his head into the pillow.  Despite the fact that Satan had released his grip on Alciel’s wrists, the General was still obediently holding his hands over his head, hands clasped together, knuckles white.

“Please, please do that again,” murmured Alciel, just clearly enough that Satan understood him, despite the barrier the pillow formed between Alciel’s mouth and the Demon Lord’s ears.

“That sounds strangely like you’re ordering me around,” muttered Satan with a low chuckle.  “I guess I have to punish you either way now.”

“P-please punish me,” whispered Alciel.

Once more, Satan had a flashback to the previous night.  He remembered how badly he had wanted to hear Alciel utter those words in this context…

“Say it again,” commanded Satan.

“PUNISH ME, MY LORD – I MEAN, PUNISH ME, SADAO!”

A moan escaped Satan’s lips as he raised his arm once again, then let it smack so hard against Alciel’s butt that his flesh rippled all the way up to the bottom of his spine. 

“Now, turn back around, and remember who you’re talking to next time.”

After Alciel turned around, Satan resumed his earlier efforts.  He could tell that Alciel was getting closer and closer to climax with every stroke; the spanking had frenzied him to a point where he was now making harsh, guttural noises and grabbing at the pillows under his head so forcefully his knuckles were white.

“I want you to feel the ecstasy I felt earlier,” whispered Satan as Alciel’s breaths became more and more shallow.  “You deserve this, Ashiya.  For being such a good servant.”

At the mention of his human name, Alciel lost all control over his body.  A shudder rippled from his shoulders all the way down to his toes as piping-hot, opaque liquid trailed out of his cock and down Satan’s arm, pooling at his wrist.

Curious and mildly disturbed, Satan licked the substance off of his wrist.  It was bitter, slimy…yet there was an ever-so-slight underlying taste of vanilla which was just tolerable enough that he was able to clean himself off entirely with his tongue as Alciel watched, dumbfounded.

“D-does that taste good, my Lord?” asked Alciel.  “Maybe I should’ve tasted yours, too.  I could suck it out of the bedsheets…”

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” said Satan, lying down beside his lover.  “You’re the one who’s doing all the research.  What just happened?”

“I already told you about handjobs, sire…”

“No, but, what do you call that… _stuff_?”

“Oh.  That would be cum.”

“What a strange word…”

“What’s really strange is that we’d never heard of any of this before.  In my research, I learned that humans apparently believe that homosexuality – that is, two men together, like us – is a sin.  And that the devil is supposed to punish sinners.  Have you ever punished someone for being gay?  I sure as hell haven’t.”

Satan snorted.  “Are you serious?  Humans have the strangest ideas about the demon world, I swear.”

“Yeah.  Another sin is masturbating – that is, touching yourself – but, again, I’d never even heard of anyone doing that until I became a human.  I guess demons don’t really experience sexual feelings…which is strange, really, since, according to humans, we’re the ones who perpetuate them.”

“We have enough going on in our world,” said Satan, shaking his head as he aligned himself so that Alciel’s head was level with his chest.  Alciel pulled himself into a position similar to how he had been lying the previous evening.  This time was different, though; they were both awake, fully aware of their actions, and thoroughly enjoying the experience.  “The wars…I don’t miss the wars at all.  I’d rather stay here on Earth forever, eking out a modest living, than have to ever go back to that place.  I’d rather live as a human and _feel_ , even if the feelings are bad.  I’d rather serve customers than be served as the Demon Lord.”

Although his words were flat and stoic coming out of his mouth, a passion was burning inside Satan as he began to realize just how true his statements were.  Although he had never articulated that he had no desire to return to Ente Isla, the feeling had been there from the beginning, growing ever stronger inside of him until this very moment when it was finally ready to be released.

“And I’d rather have the freedom to be with you in this way, Ashiya.  I’d rather live in a world where we’re only being watched by a handful of people, versus being watched by an entire kingdom.  Multiple kingdoms, really.  I’d rather not be accused of favoritism by entire armies; though homosexuality may be seen as a sin here, our punishment for our relationship will be no worse than it would be back home.  I want to stay here and forge a new life with you!”

"I've been thinking the same thing," said Ashiya, nodding quickly.  "Being human with you...it just feels right.  I'd love to return to Ente Isla someday, as I've been quite homesick, but for now...I'm fine with this.  Right here, in your arms, in Tokyo...this is where I want to be."

An unprecedented warmth filled Satan’s body, stemming at the chest and making its way into all of his extremities.  He felt like he was on fire with all the proclamations he wanted to make, now that he knew he had the freedom to make them.  And yet, he settled for holding Alciel closer, fully taking in the scent of his hair. 

“Everything about you is sweet,” whispered Satan.  “Your hair smells like honey.”

“You’re the first person who’s ever noticed,” said Alciel.  “Thank you.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I’m bathing, I usually mix honey in with my shampoo.  I’ve been doing it since I can remember; even when I was a demon, I did it.  I forget when or how it started.  All I know is that I can’t stop.  I think it makes my hair nice and soft.  Then again, I don’t remember a time when I _wasn’t_ doing it, so, for all I know, it’s been this soft all along.”  Alciel shrugged, gently nudging Satan’s chest with his shoulders as he did so.

“I love it.  Please don’t ever stop mixing honey in with your shampoo.”

“I was considering stopping, actually.  It’s kind of expensive here, certainly moreso than it was in Ente Isla.”

“Whatever you do, don’t stop putting honey in your hair.  I’ll work doubles if I have to,” said Satan, chuckling.

“Fine, I won’t stop…”

Satan yawned.  “Good.  Now, get some rest, my sweet Ashiya.”

“I will.  Your heartbeat is like a lullaby.  I’m half-asleep already.”

“I love having you in my arms," said Satan, whose voice, at that point, was almost as weak as a whisper.  "When you left last night, I felt so cold.  I’ve never felt so…empty.”

“Well, now we won’t have to worry about that for awhile.”

“Ashiya…”

“Yes, Sadao?”

“Were you awake when you crawled into my bed last night?”

“I honestly wasn’t.  I’m a known sleep cuddler from way back.  I was hoping it wouldn’t happen here, but it was inevitable.  I found you in my sleep.”

“Well, don’t wander tonight, okay?”

“Okay.  Goodnight, my dear Sadao.”  Ashiya made a sleepy grumble as he shifted once again, stretching his arm so that his hand could cup Satan's cheek.

“Goodnight,” said Satan, closing his eyes and immediately falling into the deepest sleep of his life.


	7. Salvation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After another harrowing nightmare of sorts, Satan wakes up to find that his real life is just as peaceful as it was before he drifted off to sleep the previous evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to "Salvation" by Wynardtage on repeat the entire time I was writing this, haha.

The line of customers was never-ending.  Every time it seemed like the rush was soon to be over, another wave of 50 people would come in.  They were relentless.  They were disorderly, boisterous, trying to order things that weren’t even on the menu.  One group of 5 spent a good 10 minutes pestering Satan about the fact that MgRonald’s _used to_ sell pizza, and they _knew_ it was a secret menu item, and all he had to do was go into the back and just _make them a damn pizza_.

The entire time Satan had been checking out this relentless cascade of customers, the lights had been growing ever dimmer.  Time was moving at a snail’s pace, no orders were getting out because, Satan realized as he looked around, he was working entirely alone.  Panic rose in his chest as he realized that, if this continued, he’d have about 200 angry customers waiting for food that hadn’t even been made yet.  _Nothing_ was ready.  No amount of magic could remedy the situation.  It was hopeless…

\--

Satan woke up with a jolt.  The harsh, ear-piercing chirps of his alarm rattled through his ears. 

“10 AM already?” he grumbled, trying to sit up but realizing that there was a weight on his chest again. 

He looked down and smiled.  Alciel was mumbling something unintelligible, still mostly asleep.  Satan’s arms had already been around the General, but he felt compelled to hold him even closer.

“M-my lord!” whispered Alciel, shifting himself so that he could look into Satan’s eyes.  “I – right, I’m actually supposed to be here this time.”

Visible relief washed over Alciel’s face as he sat up and hovered over the Demon Lord, who gazed up at him and smiled sleepily.

“I love waking up in your arms,” whispered Alciel, caressing Satan’s face.  Satan felt a pleasant chill when Alciel kissed his forehead.  “Did you sleep well?”

“Ahh, not really.  I had an awful nightmare.  I was at work and there were infinite customers, but no food was ready, because I was working completely alone!”

As Alciel unsuccessfully stifled a laugh, Satan marveled at the stark contrast between the dream world and his waking life.  His dreams had been so _stressful_ lately; first there was the one about that foreboding feeling that something was about to happen, and the paralysis that ensued…and now this?  Why was he always so helpless in his dreams?  Meanwhile, his waking life was more peaceful than it had ever been.  As Alciel showered Satan’s face in calm, random kisses with varying degrees of pressure and moisture, the Demon Lord wondered he had managed to become romantically involved with someone who was as affectionate at home as he was ruthless on the battlefield.   

“Sadao, don’t you have to go to work soon?” asked Alciel, lifting himself so that his arms were straight.  His hair brushed against Satan’s forehead so lightly that it tickled.

“What time is it?  10?”

Alciel looked at the clock.  “Yes, sire.  I mean, Sadao.  I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to that…”

“But you just did so well,” said Satan, smiling as he brushed Alciel’s hair out of his eyes.  “I don’t have to go to work until 2.  Which is a relief, because that means I get to lie here with you for awhile longer.”

“I never dreamed that I’d get to wake up with you like this,” said the General.  His shoulders cracked audibly as he lowered himself back down.  “I, a lowly general, lying in bed with the king of demons?  When you put it onto words, it seems ridiculous!  And yet, here I am.  A lowly general.  Lying in bed with the king of demons.”

“But you’re not a ‘lowly general’ and I’m not the king.  We’re just two humans now, two humans of equal social ranking.  Well, technically, you’re slightly lower than I am, since you’re unemployed – “

“Sadao!  You know I tried!”

The indignant tone of Alciel’s voice pierced Satan’s heart.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to –“

“First you say you want us to be equals, and now you’re shoving the fact that I’m unemployed into my face?” grunted Alciel, sitting up again so that Satan could see his eyes burn with anger.  “If I weren’t so used to serving you…that was still uncalled for.”

“I’m so sorry!  Ashiya, I didn’t mean to insult you!  Please forgive me.  I don’t know why I said that…”

The General sighed, looking away.  “I guess I’ll forgive you this time.  You’re used to being in power, and…you’re absolutely right, after all.”

“You don’t have to forgive me,” said Satan, “But please know that I don’t think you’re worth less than me just because you’re more suited to stay at home and take care of domestic duties.  You’ve also managed to learn so much about humans’ magic already.  You don’t give yourself enough credit.  I certainly don’t give you enough credit, and I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Sadao,” mumbled Alciel.  A blush had been steadily spreading across his cheeks throughout Satan’s entire speech; by the time he had apologized at the end, Alciel’s entire face was red and there were tears in his eyes.  “Thank you.”

Satan flinched as a tear dripped onto his bare chest.  He dabbed it with his finger before raising his hand to Alciel’s face and trying his best to wipe away the flood of tears that were now falling.

“Ashiya, my dear, you’re so soft,” whispered Satan.  “Everything about you is soft and sweet.”

“And you’re…”

Alciel paused, looking up as if trying to find the words written on the ceiling.  A few seconds later, he settled for:

“You’re so cold.  But it’s okay.  I’ll be here to keep you warm.”

“I’m sure you will,” said Satan, sitting up just enough to kiss his roommate.  “You’ve done a good job of that so far.”


	8. On Golden Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While stopping at the grocery store, Satan is confronted by Emilia and Chiho, who subsequently figure out that something is going on between he and Alciel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! I just moved, which took a lot out of me, haha. Now that I'm all settled again, though, I expect to get more writing done. <3

Despite the chaos of the breakfast-to-lunch transition, and the subsequent battle of the lunch rush, Satan still found time throughout the day to think about his roommate.  It always happened at the most random moments: while he was pushing buttons on the register, he would also be thinking about running his hands through Alciel’s hair; while he was starting the fryer, he would also be thinking about Alciel’s lips.  At one point, when Satan was bagging a $30 order, he randomly found himself blushing at the thought of Alciel’s knees.  He didn’t know what it was about those _knees_ , but every time he pictured them, his breath got caught in his chest like a bird in a cage.  The very act of visualizing the curves of those knees made him almost too weak to stand.

And Alciel’s smile?  Alciel’s smile made Satan’s heart stop in his chest.  That smile made him feel like the rest of the world didn’t exist, like nothing else mattered.  Whenever the General stopped smiling, a craving to see it again would immediately set in, nestling itself into Satan’s bones. If it were up to the Demon Lord, Alciel would always be smiling. 

After a long day of upselling fries while fantasizing about his roommate, Satan stopped at the grocery store on the way home.  Although he knew Alciel would lecture him for making such a trivial purchase, sentimentality outweighed frugality as Satan browsed the cut flowers.  He had recently learned during a discussion at work that humans tended to bring each other flowers as a sign of affection, and that red roses were seen as especially romantic.  He purchased a bouquet of those roses, as well as a few cucumbers and a book about something called ‘horoscopes’, which seemed to Satan to be a form of magic. 

Once the Demon Lord stepped out of the store, he was immediately confronted by Emilia and Chiho.

“What are you doing here, King Satan?” grumbled the Hero, glaring.

“I’m just…buying some things for the – I don’t need to explain anything to you!”

“Are those red roses?” asked Chiho, peering into the bag.  “They are!  Who are you getting _these_ for, hmm?”

“It – it’s none of –“

“Are they for Alciel?  Did you finally tell him!?” squealed Chiho.  Her eyes lit up with a confusing mixture of anger and excitement.

“Why weren’t you at work today?” asked Satan, holding the bag closer to himself.  The strikingly sweet smell of the roses filled his head, making it hard to think.

“I had to go to school – wait, you just changed the subject!”

“Alciel?” asked Emilia, raising an eyebrow.  “I always thought you two had something weird going on…”

“Y-you did?!” Satan couldn’t hide his surprise.  The second that sentence escaped his mouth, he knew there was no hiding his secret from her any longer.  And if she knew…

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?  Two men, one bedroom, one playing househusband while the other goes off to work at a mediocre fast food restaurant?”

“DON’T YOU DISGRACE MGRONALD THAT WAY!”  Satan felt his blood boiling, but his dominant emotion was still fear.  Fear that now that Emilia  _knew_ , things would never be the same, neither on Earth nor on Ente Isla.

“This isn’t about where you work.  This is about buying red roses for your roommate.  This is about the King of Demons being in love with one of his Generals…”

“K-king?” asked Chiho.

“I mean…I’m just saying that in a metaphorical sense.  He’s such a scumbag, he could be the king of scumbags.  You know, ‘demons’ being ‘scumbags’…” 

Emilia was doing a horrible job of lying, and for a moment Satan feared that he would soon have a lot to explain, but Chiho was too preoccupied with her own emotions to notice.

“Anyway, I dropped off my letter earlier today.  I guess it probably doesn’t matter anymore, though, since you’re already buying him roses,” said Chiho, whose eyes were very quickly filling with tears.  “Instead of buying them for me…”

“It’s been a pleasure, ladies, but I really need to get home,” said Satan, making a dismissive hand motion as he walked away.

To his surprise, neither of them followed him home.  Unless Emilia was getting better at hiding in the shadows, which he doubted, it seemed that he was actually alone for once.  Although the walk wasn't far, Satan had plenty of time to consider the situation.   _Yes, Emilia knows now...well, it was going to happen eventually, right?  There's nothing I can do now.  Then again, if she already suspected something, and I haven't heard anything yet...maybe news about this won't spread back to Ente Isla._ Maybe.   _But is it worth the risk?_

 The sun was still high in the sky as Satan trotted up the stairs and rounded the corner, opening the door with gusto.

“I’m home!” he announced.

Alciel turned from the pot of soup he had been stirring.   The way the kitchen’s fluorescent light highlighted the General’s cheekbones made Satan swoon internally as he proceeded forward, immediately forgetting the anger and confusion of the conversation he'd just been bombarded with.

“Welcome home,” said Alciel, smiling warmly.  “How was work?”

Satan's heart pattered in his chest as he realized: _It's absolutely worth the risk._

“It wasn’t bad.  I thought about you all day.  In fact, I bought these for you,” said Satan, taking the roses out of the bag and extending them to his roommate.  He then slid the horoscope book into his back-right pants pocket.

“M-my lo – I mean, Sadao!  I’ve never received such a strange gift…I’ve never received a gift from you before, come to think of it!  Thank you!”

Alciel’s smile was brighter and wider than it had ever been as he carefully traced the edges of the petals with his fingertips.

“I want to bring you gifts more often,” said Satan, whose heart felt like it was about to burst forth from his chest.  “I want to treat you better, Alciel.”

“You already do too much, Sadao.  Providing for us, paying the bills…oh, but we don’t have anywhere to put these,” he interrupted himself, frowning.  “What _do_ you do with these, anyway?”

“I don’t know, honestly.  I was just told that you’re supposed to give them to someone you have romantic intentions for.  I don’t know how the recipient of such a gift is supposed to store it.  Well, let’s leave them on the counter for now and I’ll ask around later.  Say, did you get the mail today?”

“I did.  I got a very interesting letter, actually; one that I’ve been meaning to ask you about.”

“Is it from Chiho?”

“Y-yes, how did you know?”

“She threatened me – what does it say?  Can I see it?”

“It’s on the table, along with the power bill and – Sadao, did you subscribe to a publication about sportswear?”

“No, I didn’t.  That’s strange.  Anyway, this letter…”

The envelope had already been torn open, although the letter had been replaced.  Satan gingerly removed the paper and unfolded it.  The paper was pink and decorated with simplified illustrations of hearts and humans holding hands.  Satan read aloud:

_“Dear Mr. Alciel (I don’t know your last name; I’m sorry),_

_I have been working with your roommate, a Mr. Sadao Maou, for several weeks now.  He is a hard-working, strong, and charismatic man, as well as a born leader.  You could even say that I have a bit of a ‘crush’ on him, although I will never be able to pursue this attraction.  This is because it has recently come to my attention that Mr. Maou is in love with you._

_It has taken me a great deal of courage to send this letter.  I briefly entertained the thought that I should never write it, that I should wait for Mr. Maou to tell you instead.  But honestly, I’m not sure if he ever will.  You need to know this truth and, although I would rather keep Mr. Maou for myself, I am mature enough to know that that is no longer an option.  No, I must let him go.  He is yours now, if you want him._

_And if you don’t want him, please let him down easy.  After all, despite the fact that he returns not my affections, I can still acknowledge that Mr. Maou is a good man and one that deserves to be treated right. Although I would certainly do so, he seems to be uninterested in my affections, which is something I am slowly learning to accept.  While it breaks my heart to let him go, I would feel better if I knew that he was at least falling into the arms of someone who will catch him, or at least someone who won’t violently drop him onto the ground, if I may extend the metaphor._

_With highest regards,_

_Chiho Sasaki.”_

“Isn’t that strange?” asked Alciel.  “Did you tell someone about your affection for me?”

“Yes, I did.  Someone I work with.  She said she was going to tell you, but I didn’t know she’d be so grandiose about it.  So many big words.  She never talks like that at work.”  Satan shook his head.  “What are you cooking, anyway?”

“Udon, of course.”

“Between hamburgers and udon, I’ve consumed enough carbohydrates lately to last a lifetime,” said Satan, stretching.  “I’m not complaining, though.  I realize that we have to live this way in order to save money, and I appreciate that you always have dinner ready for me when I get home.”

“It’s the least I can do,” said Alciel, pouring the soup into two bowls and bringing them to the table as Satan set the cucumbers in the fridge.

Satan sat down across from Alciel.  Silence ensued as the two of them eagerly devoured the noodles. 

“I found this at the store,” Satan said, pulling the horoscope book out of his pocket.  He hadn’t realized how uncomfortable he had been while sitting on the book, but he did feel a great sense of relief once it was out from under him.  “It’s about something called ‘horoscopes’, which seems magical to me.  You can read it later.  Tonight, though…”

“Hmm?”

“Tonight, I want you all to myself,” said the Demon Lord, whose sudden streak of boldness surprised even himself.


	9. Fireflower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a post-dinner bubble fight, it becomes clear that Satan and Alciel want each other. It's the logistics that are unclear...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taking me so long to write this lately! Work, school, and everything else have been keeping me away from my beloved fic, but I had some time today to browse fanart of this pairing and I think it's safe to say that my inspiration has been reawakened. :D Also sorry this one's so short. Also, sorry about all the cliffhangers. I'm just...I'm just sorry, y'all, haha.

After dinner, Satan offered to wash the dishes for once.  Alciel was visibly surprised and even seemed to be worried that his lover would be an incompetent dishwasher, but the Demon Lord proved him wrong, working up a veritable fortress of bubbles as he scrubbed the remaining evidence of soup off of the bowls.

Alciel’s voice drifted from the table over to Satan’s ears:

“Sadao, I hate to question your judgement, but you seem to have used far too much dish soap.”

“What if I _wanted_ to generate this many bubbles?” grumbled Satan, grinning as an idea came into his mind.  “Come here, you.”

“Yes, ma – Sadao.”

“You’re getting better with that,” said the Demon Lord as Alciel approached.  “But your efforts won’t save you from the incoming onslaught of bubbles!”

“Wha –“

Satan took a handful of the foam and flung it into Alciel’s face.

“I can’t believe you just did that!” exclaimed Alciel, spitting the substance out of his mouth with a look of disgust.  “Old habits die hard.  You’re still a warrior.  So am I, though!”

It was Alciel’s turn to grab a fistful of bubbles and throw it at Satan, who ducked at the last second, covering his face with his arm.

“Your timing is off,” said Satan, laughing.  “Your battle skills are rusty.”

“If this were Ente Isla, I’d have a whole army to –“

“To what?  Send after me?  For throwing bubbles into your face?”

Alciel considered that reality for a moment before shuddering.  “I couldn’t do that.  First of all, if this were Ente Isla, you’d still be my Master…”

“I still am.  Only in bed, but still,” Satan reminded him, snickering.  “Don’t you forget that.”

The last shreds of foam clung to Alciel’s forehead as Satan stepped toward him, looking him straight in the eyes.  Quietly, Satan brushed the bubbles away and leaned in to kiss Alciel.  He could already smell the sweetness of his lover’s skin and hair; strangely enough, that was all it took to turn him on.  He pressed his body harder against Alciel’s, running his hands up and down his lover’s back, grabbing onto his shirt in the process.

Alciel pulled away ever so slightly. 

“Sadao,” he whispered, his lips close to Satan’s ear, “I want you.  I’ve wanted you all day.”

“So have I,” groaned Satan breathlessly.  “Wanted you, that is.  I couldn’t stop thinking about you.  All day at work, I was distracted by what was going to happen once I came home.”

“Take me,” said Alciel, “However you see fit.”

“There’s something I’ve been wondering, actually,” Satan said, pulling away and changing back to his normal tone of voice.  “When I first got here, I read over some pamphlets about ‘safe sex’, but they were all about sexual relations between men and women.  There was nothing in there about how two men are supposed to…you know, do it.  I don’t want to hurt you or anything.”

Alciel’s laugh was light and airy, but a blush was being painted across his face as he said:

“You don’t know how it’s done?  It’s not so complicated, really.  I have actually done some research on the matter…you know, just to fully understand the human experience…actually, I did that today, while you were gone, because I was hoping for something like that to happen – I mean, if not tonight, soon –“

“Help me.  I want to have sex with you tonight.  You know, only if you want to.”

“I do want to,” said Alciel, smiling.  “Very much so.  I’ll show you the way.”

With that, Alciel led Satan to bed.  Although most of their sexual explorations had taken place in Satan’s bed, this time, they were approaching Alciel’s.  The two of them sat on their knees and faced each other.

“Okay,” started Alciel, pulling several items out from under his bed: one black box and one shining tube.  “First of all, I’d like to apologize for purchasing these items without asking and without taking frugality into account. I thought we might need them, and I only wanted to get the best.  Because I don’t want either of us getting hurt or anything.  I guess the question now is…”

“What are those?”

“The humans call them ‘condoms’ and ‘lube’,” explained Alciel, handing the items to Satan.  “The, uh, the condoms go around this –“ he unceremoniously grabbed Satan’s dick – “and they prevent the spread of sexually-transmitted illnesses; even though I don’t think we have to worry about those, I still want us to be safe.  And, from what I gather, this ‘lube’ substance is meant to be applied over the condom in order to make the, uh, the penetration less painful.”

“Penetration.  Okay.  But…forgive my naïveté, but, uh… _who_ is penetrating _what_?”

“Well, that’s the question.  One of us is going to be putting our, uh, cock into the other one’s ass.  From what I gather, it’s far more pleasurable than it sounds.”

“I think you’re going to have to be the one to do it,” said Satan, making a motion to open the box of condoms.  “You seem to be the expert here.  I’m still having trouble visualizing the whole process, but I think once you do it to me, I’ll be able to see it more clearly.  Alciel, I give you permission to do whatever you want with me, just for tonight.”


End file.
